Customers who walk into Shoppers Drug Mart stores across Canada this weekend will no longer hear the faint strains of Christmas music -- at least for now.
The pharmacy chain announced in a message on its Facebook page that it was suspending the playing of Christmas music in its stores ‘until further notice.”
That came after a barrage of complaints from customers who said the chain had begun playing the tunes entirely too soon.
Shoppers had begun playing the music on Nov. 1, one day after Halloween.
Spokeswoman Tammy Smitham tells The Canadian Press that a number of unhappy customers contacted them through Facebook and customer service to complain the music had begun too early.
But customers who love their “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Little Drummer Boy” need not despair; Smitham says the Christmas music will be back later in the month.
On Friday evening, the company posted this note on their Facebook page.
“Hi everyone, due to recent complaints around the Christmas music being played in stores we want to advise you that as of midnight EST tonight, all Christmas music will be suspended until further notice. We do take customer feedback to heart, and it does lead to change. Thank you for your patience around this and have a fabulous Friday,” the notice reads.
At last count, the post had more than 6,000 “Likes” and 5,000 comments.
Many commenters cheered the move, saying they couldn’t bear the idea of listening to Christmas music for almost two solid months. Others accused the chain of destroying a Christmas tradition.
Still others said they enjoyed the music as a respite from the dreary late fall weather.
